Alan Jackson Insisted on Recording Authentic Bluegrass Album

Alan Jackson is experiencing a lot of success with his new bluegrass record, but the country superstar insists that's not the reason he did it.

"I'm just a fan of the music," Jackson tells The Boot. "I didn't want to do something that disappointed the bluegrass world. I didn't want 'em to think I'm just another country act wanting to make a bluegrass album. I really wanted to try to write some songs that were a decent approach from a bluegrass perspective, and same way with the production and everything."

Jackson wrote eight of the 11 songs on the aptly-titled 'The Bluegrass Album,' which rose to No. 3 in the charts when it was released in September. He took a very organic approach to the project, assembling some of the top bluegrass musicians in Nashville to record the tracks live in five sessions over two days. The band sat in a circle for the recording, and Jackson and his backing singers tracked the vocals live with the players.

"I wanted it to be as true as I knew how to make it," Jackson says. "And it may not be as authentic as it ought to be, but I did the best I could with it."

He adds, "I just have always liked the music, and wanted to do something in that vein, and something that I could be proud of."

Alan Jackson Discusses 'The Bluegrass Album'